1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the use of rubber dams in dentistry, and more particularly to a rubber dam frame for holding a dam in place during dental procedures.
2. Description of the Prior Art The use of rubber dams during various dental procedures has been known for many years. Generally, a dam comprises a thin rubber sheet or the like which is stretched in place over a frame held against the patient's face. If a particular tooth is to be worked on, a hole is cut in the dam and pushed down over the tooth with a clamp applied to hold the dam in place. As may now be understood, the dam isolates the tooth to prevent the patient from swallowing or aspirating foreign objects. The dam also functions to keep the field aseptic. Greater difficulty is experienced in the use of a dam when all of the teeth are to be isolated since awkward and uncomfortable clamps are necessary. Furthermore, the prior art dam holders restrict access to the teeth not being operated on such that in some instances the dam frame must be removed when taking X-rays or checking bite and the like, and in other cases, the dam and clamp interferes with an accurate picture.
A rubber dam holder is described by Kahn in U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,329 using a single U-shaped frame having barbs for holding a rubber dam. The holder is placed over the patient's face with the novelty of the invention involving a hinge positioned in the individually pivot toward the other to provide access to the interior of the patient's mouth as for taking X rays. Swan-Gett et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,790 disclose a tooth-isolating shield having an apron of deformable material and semi-rigid dentitian bridge conforming members. Although this patent discloses an improvement over the sheet rubber dam arrangement, it must be tailored to conform to the individual patient's mouth. Daigle, U.S. Pat. No. 2,680,908, shows a dental isolator cone which must be retained in the mouth by the biting action of opposed teeth on a surface thereof. None of these known prior art dams or shields fill the need for a low-cost, disposable dental dam which is comfortable to the patient and provides the dentist with access to the interior of the patient's mouth for X-rays and the like.